
Nikola Jokic’s actions during Monday night’s scuffle seem to have caused a loss of respect from many players within the Miami Heat organization. But not from veteran forward Udonis Haslem.
Haslem, a 19th-year Miami veteran, seems to believe this incident was simply an emotional lapse for the Denver Nuggets big man.
“I don’t think Jokic is a bad guy. I actually love him as a basketball player and I love him as a person,” Haslem said on Wednesday, per HeatNation.com. “I think he’s a really good guy. I think emotions just got the best of everybody.”
After taking a hard bump from Halem’s teammate Markieff Morris, Jokic retaliated with a massive hit to the forward’s back as he walked away.
The hit resulted in some bad blood between the two teams and a one-game suspension for the reigning league MVP.
Haslem went on to say that he would never hit someone in the back like that, but continued to explain that it all happened in the heat of the moment.
While Morris’ teammates were/are noticeably upset by this incident, the Heat’s emotional leader explained that it’s “time to move on.”
“Looking at it a day or two later, I wish it wouldn’t have gone down the way it went down. But I don’t think he’s a bad guy, nor do I think he’s a dirty player,” Haslem added. “I’m also a guy who has definitely let emotions get the best of me sometimes. But I never hit nobody in the back, and I think that’s where it got a little murky. But I don’t think he’s a bad guy, and I don’t think he meant to hurt anybody. We don’t hold grudges, so it’s time to move on.”
The Heat (7-3) will look to move on as they face off against the Lakers (6-5) tonight at 10 p.m. ET.